Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People
United States Capitol
Washington, D.C.
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Speaker, Mr. President Pro Tempore, members of Congress, and fellow Americans:
In the normal course of events, Presidents come to this chamber to
report on the state of the Union. Tonight, no such report is
needed. It has already been delivered by the American people.
In a historic address to the nation and joint session of Congress Sept.
20, President Bush pledges to defend America's freedom against the fear
of terrorism. White House by Eric Draper. We have seen it in the
courage of passengers, who rushed terrorists to save others on the
ground -- passengers like an exceptional man named Todd Beamer.
And would you please help me to welcome his wife, Lisa Beamer, here
tonight. (Applause.)
We have seen the state of our Union in the endurance of rescuers,
working past exhaustion. We have seen the unfurling of flags, the
lighting of candles, the giving of blood, the saying of prayers -- in
English, Hebrew, and Arabic. We have seen the decency of a loving
and giving people who have made the grief of strangers their own.
My fellow citizens, for the last nine days, the entire world has seen for itself the state of our Union -- and it is strong.
Tonight we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend
freedom. Our grief has turned to anger, and anger to
resolution. Whether we bring our enemies to justice, or bring
justice to our enemies, justice will be done.
I thank the Congress for its leadership at such an important
time. All of America was touched on the evening of the tragedy to
see Republicans and Democrats joined together on the steps of this
Capitol, singing "God Bless America." And you did more than sing;
you acted, by delivering $40 billion to rebuild our communities and
meet the needs of our military.
Speaker Hastert, Minority Leader Gephardt, Majority Leader Daschle and
Senator Lott, I thank you for your friendship, for your leadership and
for your service to our country.
And on behalf of the American people, I thank the world for its
outpouring of support. America will never forget the sounds of
our National Anthem playing at Buckingham Palace, on the streets of
Paris, and at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
We will not forget South Korean children gathering to pray outside our
embassy in Seoul, or the prayers of sympathy offered at a mosque in
Cairo. We will not forget moments of silence and days of mourning
in Australia and Africa and Latin America. British Prime Minister Tony
Blair (center, left) Mrs. Laura Bush attends a joint session of
Congress in which President Bush praised the efforts of New York Mayor
Rudolph Giuliani (far right) and named Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge
(far left) to a newly created cabinet-level position in which he will
oversee the homeland defense initiatives. White House photo by Paul
Morse.
Nor will we forget the citizens of 80 other nations who died with our
own: dozens of Pakistanis; more than 130 Israelis; more than 250
citizens of India; men and women from El Salvador, Iran, Mexico and
Japan; and hundreds of British citizens. America has no truer
friend than Great Britain. Once again, we are joined
together in a great cause -- so honored the British Prime Minister has
crossed an ocean to show his unity of purpose with America. Thank
you for coming, friend.
On September the 11th, enemies of freedom committed an act of war
against our country. Americans have known wars -- but for the
past 136 years, they have been wars on foreign soil, except for one
Sunday in 1941. Americans have known the casualties of war -- but
not at the center of a great city on a peaceful morning.
Americans have known surprise attacks -- but never before on thousands
of civilians. All of this was brought upon us in a single day --
and night fell on a different world, a world where freedom itself is
under attack.
Americans have many questions tonight. Americans are
asking: Who attacked our country? The evidence we have
gathered all points to a collection of loosely affiliated terrorist
organizations known as al Qaeda. They are the same murderers
indicted for bombing American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, and
responsible for bombing the USS Cole.
Al Qaeda is to terror what the mafia is to crime. But its goal is
not making money; its goal is remaking the world -- and imposing its
radical beliefs on people everywhere.
The terrorists practice a fringe form of Islamic extremism that has
been rejected by Muslim scholars and the vast majority of Muslim
clerics -- a fringe movement that perverts the peaceful teachings of
Islam. The terrorists' directive commands them to kill Christians
and Jews, to kill all Americans, and make no distinction among military
and civilians, including women and children.
This group and its leader -- a person named Osama bin Laden -- are
linked to many other organizations in different countries, including
the Egyptian Islamic Jihad and the Islamic Movement of
Uzbekistan. There are thousands of these terrorists in more than
60 countries. They are recruited from their own nations and
neighborhoods and brought to camps in places like Afghanistan, where
they are trained in the tactics of terror. They are sent back to
their homes or sent to hide in countries around the world to plot evil
and destruction.
The leadership of al Qaeda has great influence in Afghanistan and
supports the Taliban regime in controlling most of that country.
In Afghanistan, we see al Qaeda's vision for the world.
Afghanistan's people have been brutalized -- many are starving and many
have fled. Women are not allowed to attend school. You can
be jailed for owning a television. Religion can be practiced only
as their leaders dictate. A man can be jailed in Afghanistan if
his beard is not long enough.
The United States respects the people of Afghanistan -- after all, we
are currently its largest source of humanitarian aid -- but we condemn
the Taliban regime. It is not only repressing its own people, it
is threatening people everywhere by sponsoring and sheltering and
supplying terrorists. By aiding and abetting murder, the Taliban
regime is committing murder.
And tonight, the United States of America makes the following demands
on the Taliban: Deliver to United States authorities all the
leaders of al Qaeda who hide in your land. (Applause.) Release
all foreign nationals, including American citizens, you have unjustly
imprisoned. Protect foreign journalists, diplomats and aid
workers in your country. Close immediately and permanently every
terrorist training camp in Afghanistan, and hand over every terrorist,
and every person in their support structure, to appropriate
authorities. Give the United States full access to terrorist
training camps, so we can make sure they are no longer operating.
These demands are not open to negotiation or discussion. The
Taliban must act, and act immediately. They will hand over the
terrorists, or they will share in their fate.
I also want to speak tonight directly to Muslims throughout the
world. We respect your faith. It's practiced freely by many
millions of Americans, and by millions more in countries that America
counts as friends. Its teachings are good and peaceful, and those
who commit evil in the name of Allah blaspheme the name of Allah.
The terrorists are traitors to their own faith, trying, in effect, to
hijack Islam itself. The enemy of America is not our many Muslim
friends; it is not our many Arab friends. Our enemy is a radical
network of terrorists, and every government that supports them.
Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end
there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global
reach has been found, stopped and defeated.
Americans are asking, why do they hate us? They hate what we see
right here in this chamber -- a democratically elected
government. Their leaders are self-appointed. They hate our
freedoms -- our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom
to vote and assemble and disagree with each other.
They want to overthrow existing governments in many Muslim countries,
such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. They want to drive
Israel out of the Middle East. They want to drive Christians and
Jews out of vast regions of Asia and Africa.
These terrorists kill not merely to end lives, but to disrupt and end a
way of life. With every atrocity, they hope that America grows
fearful, retreating from the world and forsaking our friends.
They stand against us, because we stand in their way.
We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen
their kind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous
ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to
serve their radical visions -- by abandoning every value except the
will to power -- they follow in the path of fascism, and Nazism, and
totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all the way, to
where it ends: in history's unmarked grave of discarded
lies.
Americans are asking: How will we fight and win this
war? We will direct every resource at our command -- every
means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law
enforcement, every financial influence, and every necessary weapon of
war -- to the disruption and to the defeat of the global terror network.
This war will not be like the war against Iraq a decade ago, with a
decisive liberation of territory and a swift conclusion. It will
not look like the air war above Kosovo two years ago, where no ground
troops were used and not a single American was lost in combat.
Our response involves far more than instant retaliation and isolated
strikes. Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy
campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include
dramatic strikes, visible on TV, and covert operations, secret even in
success. We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one
against another, drive them from place to place, until there is no
refuge or no rest. And we will pursue nations that provide aid or
safe haven to terrorism. Every nation, in every region, now has a
decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the
terrorists. From this day forward, any nation that continues to
harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a
hostile regime.
Our nation has been put on notice: We are not immune from
attack. We will take defensive measures against terrorism to
protect Americans. Today, dozens of federal departments and
agencies, as well as state and local governments, have responsibilities
affecting homeland security. These efforts must be coordinated at
the highest level. So tonight I announce the creation of a
Cabinet-level position reporting directly to me -- the Office of
Homeland Security.
And tonight I also announce a distinguished American to lead this
effort, to strengthen American security: a military veteran, an
effective governor, a true patriot, a trusted friend -- Pennsylvania's
Tom Ridge. He will lead, oversee and coordinate a comprehensive
national strategy to safeguard our country against terrorism, and
respond to any attacks that may come.
These measures are essential. But the only way to defeat
terrorism as a threat to our way of life is to stop it, eliminate it,
and destroy it where it grows.
Many will be involved in this effort, from FBI agents to intelligence
operatives to the reservists we have called to active duty. All
deserve our thanks, and all have our prayers. And tonight, a few
miles from the damaged Pentagon, I have a message for our
military: Be ready. I've called the Armed Forces to alert,
and there is a reason. The hour is coming when America will act,
and you will make us proud.
This is not, however, just America's fight. And what is at stake
is not just America's freedom. This is the world's fight.
This is civilization's fight. This is the fight of all who
believe in progress and pluralism, tolerance and freedom.
We ask every nation to join us. We will ask, and we will need,
the help of police forces, intelligence services, and banking systems
around the world. The United States is grateful that many nations
and many international organizations have already responded -- with
sympathy and with support. Nations from Latin America, to Asia,
to Africa, to Europe, to the Islamic world. Perhaps the NATO
Charter reflects best the attitude of the world: An attack on one
is an attack on all.
The civilized world is rallying to America's side. They
understand that if this terror goes unpunished, their own cities, their
own citizens may be next. Terror, unanswered, can not only bring
down buildings, it can threaten the stability of legitimate
governments. And you know what -- we're not going to allow it.
Americans are asking: What is expected of us? I ask you to
live your lives, and hug your children. I know many citizens have
fears tonight, and I ask you to be calm and resolute, even in the face
of a continuing threat.
I ask you to uphold the values of America, and remember why so many
have come here. We are in a fight for our principles, and our
first responsibility is to live by them. No one should be singled
out for unfair treatment or unkind words because of their ethnic
background or religious faith.
I ask you to continue to support the victims of this tragedy with your
contributions. Those who want to give can go to a central source
of information, libertyunites.org, to find the names of groups
providing direct help in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
The thousands of FBI agents who are now at work in this investigation may need your cooperation, and I ask you to give it.
I ask for your patience, with the delays and inconveniences that may
accompany tighter security; and for your patience in what will be a
long struggle.
I ask your continued participation and confidence in the American
economy. Terrorists attacked a symbol of American
prosperity. They did not touch its source. America is
successful because of the hard work, and creativity, and enterprise of
our people. These were the true strengths of our economy before
September 11th, and they are our strengths today.
And, finally, please continue praying for the victims of terror and
their families, for those in uniform, and for our great country.
Prayer has comforted us in sorrow, and will help strengthen us for the
journey ahead.
Tonight I thank my fellow Americans for what you have already done and
for what you will do. And ladies and gentlemen of the Congress, I
thank you, their representatives, for what you have already done and
for what we will do together.
Tonight, we face new and sudden national challenges. We will come
together to improve air safety, to dramatically expand the number of
air marshals on domestic flights, and take new measures to prevent
hijacking. We will come together to promote stability and keep
our airlines flying, with direct assistance during this emergency.
We will come together to give law enforcement the additional tools it
needs to track down terror here at home. We will come together to
strengthen our intelligence capabilities to know the plans of
terrorists before they act, and find them before they strike.
We will come together to take active steps that strengthen America's economy, and put our people back to work.
Tonight we welcome two leaders who embody the extraordinary spirit of
all New Yorkers: Governor George Pataki, and Mayor Rudolph
Giuliani. As a symbol of America's resolve, my administration
will work with Congress, and these two leaders, to show the world that
we will rebuild New York City.
After all that has just passed -- all the lives taken, and all the
possibilities and hopes that died with them -- it is natural to wonder
if America's future is one of fear. Some speak of an age of
terror. I know there are struggles ahead, and dangers to
face. But this country will define our times, not be defined by
them. As long as the United States of America is determined and
strong, this will not be an age of terror; this will be an age of
liberty, here and across the world.
Great harm has been done to us. We have suffered great
loss. And in our grief and anger we have found our mission and
our moment. Freedom and fear are at war. The advance of
human freedom -- the great achievement of our time, and the great hope
of every time -- now depends on us. Our nation -- this generation
-- will lift a dark threat of violence from our people and our
future. We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by
our courage. We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will
not fail.
It is my hope that in the months and years ahead, life will return
almost to normal. We'll go back to our lives and routines, and
that is good. Even grief recedes with time and grace. But
our resolve must not pass. Each of us will remember what happened
that day, and to whom it happened. We'll remember the moment the
news came -- where we were and what we were doing. Some will
remember an image of a fire, or a story of rescue. Some will
carry memories of a face and a voice gone forever.
And I will carry this: It is the police shield of a man named
George Howard, who died at the World Trade Center trying to save
others. It was given to me by his mom, Arlene, as a proud
memorial to her son. This is my reminder of lives that ended, and
a task that does not end.
I will not forget this wound to our country or those who inflicted
it. I will not yield; I will not rest; I will not relent in
waging this struggle for freedom and security for the American people.
The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is
certain. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been
at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them.
Fellow citizens, we'll meet violence with patient justice -- assured of
the rightness of our cause, and confident of the victories to
come. In all that lies before us, may God grant us wisdom, and
may He watch over the United States of America.
Thank you.
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